Intertwined Destinies
by strongasdiamond
Summary: "People come into our lives unexpectedly and after they leave, we are never the same. Her name was Thalia and you can't know my story without knowing hers."
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is story is about how Percy sees Thalia. At least in my opinion. There will be at least two more chapters. Some things inspired from the books but it goes AU at some point. The Summary shows it clearly. If you don't ship Perlia, that's alright just please don't send any hate. I'm not a fan of Percabeth but I respect the ship and it's fans. All I ask is that you please do the same in return.**

* * *

 ** _Legend;_**

He was eleven when he learned that good people die but not because they aren't good enough...but because sometimes they choose to place other lives before their own.

Those people were called heroes and stories were told about them wherever he went. He remembered having to memorize for History class their adventures, remembered the teacher saying it was important to know them.

He never did, though. Know them. How could he when they were long dead and buried? Sure, he had dyslexia but that didn't stop him from remembering her story. She was different from all the boring legends that Mrs. Smith was trying to shove down his troath.

Thalia was _real_ ; she was more than blurry words written on old textbooks, more than a white and black picture when you searched on the internet.

Percy had proof of her bravery and adventures. It didn't matter that if he checked google all it would offer him would be blank pages or useless results. His friends spoke of her sometimes because his friends were _hers_ too.

The barrier that defended Camp Half-Blood carried her namesake. It was because of her that monsters weren't able to attack him whenever he passed by her tree.

Even in death, her selfless sacrifice to protect those closest to her affected the future. Thalia was _alive_ in spirit and alive in Annabeth's, Grover's hearts; in his too. Her tree protected his home and her story inspired him.

And that, made all the difference between a true legend and one you don't even feel that it had ever existed.

* * *

 ** _Resolve_** ;

This time, he was twelve and everything he had ever learned at eleven had now question marks after. He was angry and confused but the worst was feeling hopeless.

For the first time since Thalia died, the camp was attacked. The barrier that had protected the safe place for all demigods was now crumbling and he wasn't the one sent to save it.

Percy felt like everything was a bad joke, like the gods were laughing at them from the sky. Like Zeus didn't give a rat's ass about his daughter dying all over again.

But the most confusing thought of all was how could Luke poison the tree? No, not the tree but _Thalia_ because it was her presence covered by roots and leaves. He couldn't understand and he didn't have to because with or without approval from Chiron and Mr. D, he was going anyway.

He owed it to everyone, he owed it to himself and he owed it to Thalia. She protected them for so long, now it was her turn to get rescued for once.

* * *

 ** _Similar; Different_**

He hadn't thought such intense blue was even possible to exist until he looked into her eyes. It was right after she woke-up and returned to the living world. They weren't like his, that resembled the sea. No, hers were a darker shade, electryfing. They resembled the sky during a storm. They either looked like they could burn him with a single look or like they could make him forget his own name but never something in between.

Percy had later discovered that her eyes were the mirror of her own self. Because just like the endless pools of blue, it was all or nothing with Thalia. Never the middle ground.

Days, weeks passed and he had never saw things as clear as he saw them in that moment. Annabeth was right when he told him Thalia and him were alike, the scary kind of alike because other than the obvious things like their similar tempers, bravery, impulsive and stubborn nature...Percy was either all in or all out, just like her. There was no middle for the sea with it's deepths or for the sky with it's heights.

They were either up to the surface or down below and he didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

That meant that they could never meet on even terms.

* * *

 ** _Anger_** ;

He had soon come to the realization that his temper got the worst around two people: Luke and Thalia. The former was a traitor, the enemy but the latter was...his best friend, rival?

He had never really known where he stood with Thalia. Especially when she was ready to burn him into a crisp.

They were playing Capture the Flag against the Hunters of Artemis. He had never reacted well to orders to begin with so adding his ADHD and Annabeth's kidnapping to the mix and you got a fight between the two most powerful demigods.

If someone were to ask Percy who started it, he would say it was Thalia but his stupid tendency to never listen could have possibly been at fault too.

He liked her, really. She was cool and strong but ever since he and the others saved her, people weren't turning to him for advice or leadership anymore. It was her they looked up to and not just because her dad was the ruler of Olympus.

It was childish, that need of attention and that jealousy over someone whose life recently started to play out again but as such, Percy was thirteen and doomed to make mistakes until he got older.

Thalia was no different and the sight of both of them angry, launching attacks at each other reminded the other demigods just how _alike_ they were because it was when people got angry that they showed their true colors. Nothing said more about a person than their reactions when things weren't working the way they wanted them to.

* * *

 ** _Fear_** ;

It was in people's nature to be afraid. They all had things that scared them even if the blood of goods were running through their veins. Percy knew that all to well; he had his own fears to conquer after all.

But seeing someone else struggle, seeing _Thalia_ tremble and look paler than usual was disturbing if not shocking. Even before he had got to meet her in person, Annabeth made her seem invincible in her stories. His belief in that only magnified after meeting her in person.

Thalia's eyes always held unwavering confidence and Percy who had been on the recieving end of her glare one too many times felt thrown-off at the sight of the uncernity, of the fear in them. However, there was no time to dwell on that because unless they didn't want to end up as lunch on a monster's table, they had to jump.

 _I'll just have to be brave for the both of us then._ He had thought, taking her hand and grasping it tightly in his.

It had seemed his boldness did something because seconds later Thalia had looked at him like he had grown two heads, asking and he was going to quote: " _WHAT IN THE NAMES OF THE GODS DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING PERSEUS JACKSON?"_

He had cringed then because not even his mom used his full name. Ever.

Naturally, Percy did the impulsive thing ( and the reason behind his future funeral most probably ), taking Aegis from Thalia and pushing the both of them on the shield down the hill.

When they safely reached the ground, Thalia looked like she was about to stuff his mouth with snow or bury him in it. He didn't want to find out which so he quickly blurted out: "You're afraid of heights."

Which was far from teasing really. Percy knew how bad fear could mess you up and he wasn't going to make it worse for her.

If anything, he was determinated to help Thalia get over her fear. She wasn't fearless as the world thought or as she wanted to look and that was okay.

Nobody was invincible to fear.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Hunter_** ;

He should have seen it sooner but granted his ADHD...his attention span was as small as Grover's satyr horns...which were _really_ _small_.

Once he put the puzzle pieces togheter, it was crystal clear.

 _Thalia was approached by the Hunters at some point in her life._

It made a lot of sense now that he was thinking about it. Why she hated Zoe, why she was angrier than usual when they lost the game of Capture the Flag.

They had the same kind of toughness, Thalia and the Hunters. There was a resemblance but it could have also been a coincidence so he said, more like a fact than a question. " _The Hunters tried to recruit you."_

Thalia didn't deny it.

She even admited it that she had refused because of Luke. The thought made Percy both angry and relieved.

Angry because Luke's influence on both Thalia and Annabeth was worrying. He wondered if they would be capable of fighting or even killing Luke if it came down to it.

Relieved because they wouldn't have had this bond if she accepted the offer of becoming a hunter.

* * *

 _ **Her Choice**_ ;

Thalia chose to kick Luke off the cliff, knowing he might die. She chose to resist the temptation of power. She chose to side with the Gods, with _them_.

For a moment, he doubted her and worried that another supposed friend will turn out to be an enemy.

But that's wasn't the case.

Thalia made the right choice.

However, Percy couldn't say the same thing about the _second_ one. There he was, worrying and nervous and thinking about ways to stop _Annabeth_ from joining Artemis when it was _her_ who he should have looked after.

 _Thalia was leaving_.

The thought didn't sit right with him but he knew there was nothing that he could have told the stubborn daughter of Zeus to make her stay.

They were alike and he never let people change his mind when he took decisions.

So Percy stood, dumb smacked and blushing when Thalia hugged him after she said her pledge _. "I'm honoring a friend."_ she told him.

It sounded too much like a goodbye.

As if that was their last meeting.

His arms tightened around her then, when realization hit him like ton of bricks. Maybe that was going to be the last time they saw each other and it made his chest ache when he thought that they had spend their time togheter more arguing than anything else.

If Thalia noticed his grip on her changed, she didn't say anything. Just called him a hero, saying how proud she was they were friends.

Percy almost didn't let go of her but something made him nod and smile.

Maybe it was the fact that his dad and her dad were in the room and watching them or maybe it was _faith_.

Faith that Thalia's second choice was just as right as the first one.

* * *

 ** _Reunion_** ;

Three years passed before he saw her again. The circumstances could have been better but he was glad to see Thalia neverthless.

He was taller than her and older by a few days. If Thalia wouldn't have joined the hunt...she would have been eighteen and older than him.

As such, Percy was sixteen, Thalia frozen at fifteen and the Prophecy was happening. The war against titans, monsters and traitorous demigods was happening.

They hugged briefly before they charged at enemies and fought side by side. They made a pretty good team when their powers weren't directed at one another.

There a few small moments where he took his time to observe her. They were either too tired to keep fighting or standing as Apollo kids healed whatever injury the battle gived them.

Percy saw it all. The way her electrifying blue eyes shone with life, the way she gracefully moved and slashed tons of nasty monsters with her spear, the silver aura that lay around her.

She was amazing but most importantly, she was at peace and Percy felt selfish for wanting her to stay with them, with _him_ after the War ended.

Thalia was better off with the Hunters and he was going to respect that and be happy for her.

He was going to wait and cling to hope that somehow, they will always have their _reunions_ and talks and cheeseburger lunches.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Pretend**_ ;

He remembered a time when he couldn't have told a good lie to save his own skin.

As time passed by, he got better at concealing his emotions, his true intentions. Now he could pretend and no one would call him out on it.

Maybe that's what it means to grow-up. The older you get, the more of a liar you become.

Lying was easy, pretending was easy. Facing the truth was the hard part.

Percy knew that no matter how many times he repeated the words and played out the scene...it could never be true, real for him.

It was a facade he created for the others but most importantly, he created it for Thalia.

She didn't need to know how he felt. She couldn't know. God knows he would get electrified to death.

And somehow, that wasn't what terrified him the most.

Losing her friendship was.

So Percy pretened that Annabeth was the one he wanted all along to stand by his side and maybe in the beginning _she was._

But not anymore, not in a long time. He valued her as he valued his friends but pretended he loved her as a girlfriend.

Sometimes, he felt like telling her the truth, sometimes he felt like breaking-up with her but Annabeth had been there when Thalia wasn't and he figured he owed Athena's daughter at least that much: happiness.

So Percy pretended to be in love with her and Annabeth pretended that she didn't notice the truth.

* * *

 _ **Belonging**_ ;

Honestly, he got confused, a lot and many people often questioned his hero status.

Then they see him fight and all the doubt is forgotten. Not that he is bragging or anything.

Naturally, Percy was bound to be confused when he was out looking for monsters and he found Thalia instead running through the woods, a mess in more ways than one.

 _There were no Hunters with her._

 _Her bracelet aka her Aegis shield was missing from her wrist._

 _Pine needles were all over in her hair...wait, that wasn't a rare sight._

 _But the most shocking of all was her aura._

He could no longer see the silver glow that used to be around her or her tiara, proof of her position as Lieutenant.

He was confused alright but he reacted quickly, took her by the hand and abandoned his mission.

Nasty monsters could wait because his mother and Thalia were always going to come first. Loyalty, his fatal flaw.

 _"Let's go to Camp." he had told her._

 _"No." she replied back, not walking any further._

 _"Why not Thalia? Look at you! Tell me what happened. Were you and the Hunters attacked?"_

 _She laughed then, but not the kind who brightened her eyes or made his stomach flutter._

 _"More like they attacked me."_

 _He almost tripped over his feet. "W-What? Why? And what did Artemis do?"_

 _"Nothing. She did nothing. Just leave it alone Percy. It was my fault and I take full responsability."_

 _She sounded tired, like she had run for miles or like she had wandered around the desert and whenever water would be near, it would disappear from her reach._

 _He tightened his fists in anger, looking closely at her injures._

 _"You aren't a Hunter anymore." he realized._

 _"I don't think I ever was."_

And that was alright with Percy. Thalia belonged with them, with him. Always had and always will.

* * *

 _ **Home;**_

A few weeks passed until he had managed to convince Thalia to return back to Camp Half-Blood.

Everybody was happy but he was probably the happiest.

He didn't bother to hide that and not because he couldn't but because he didn't want to. He wanted Thalia to feel at home and at peace there. He wanted her to know there were people who were glad she was in their lives.

Of course there were still unanswered questions but he wasn't going to push her into telling him why the Hunters attacked her or why her status was taken away.

She didn't even tell Annabeth and Percy doubted she would open up to him first but he will be there to support her neverthless.

 _"Jackson, what is this about?" she had asked him when he blindfolded her on her sixteenth birthday._

 _"I told you already Thalia, it's a surprise."_

 _He could almost feel her glare piercing him through the piece of clothing that covered her eyes._

 _"I don't like surprises."_

 _"Well...just trust me with this one. "_

 _"If you make me fall into a hole or something..."_

 _Percy smiled at the familiarity of the threat. He hadn't heard that one in a while._

 _"No funny business, I swear on the River Styx."_

 _Thunder boomed and the promise was sealed._

 _Thalia's shoulders relaxed then and she allowed him to lead her._

 _When they stopped, he took her blindfold away and watched her reaction._

 _"This...How?" she asked with awe in her voice, looking around Zeus' cabin at all the new details and new stuff. The walls were covered with posters of her favorite bands, the bed sheets were black with dark blue, there were a few albums of Green Day and a minifridge with soda cans and cheeseburgers._

 _"Everybody helped." Percy paused, taking out from his pocket the mystical bracelet and placing it around her wrist. "I also tracked down the Hunters and took Aegis from them. They owed you that much."_

 _Thalia's eyes brimmed with tears and she pulled him in for a hug._

 _"Thank you Percy."_

 _"Happy Birthday Thals."_

His home was now complete.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Struggle;**_

Not for the first time in his life, Percy felt like an idiot, with a capital I and Grover who was standing a few centimeters away from him, munching on Enchiladas was definitely not helping him make a decision and neither was Aphrodite spying on his thoughts.

He didn't want her advice, love goddess or not.

"Sorry man but you know how I get when it's Enchiladas day at the cafeteria." Grover said as he took the final bite of his food before giving his friend his full attention. "Want to talk about it?"

Percy took a moment to consider his options. On one hand, he might as well tell Grover and get his frustration out, chances were that the satyr already got a sniff of how he felt. On the other hand, he feared his reaction.

 _Loyality, my fatal flaw and every time I'm with Annabeth the only thing I can think about is Thalia._

"Nah, it's cool. I'm fine, seriously." the lie came easily, as it always did in the past two years.

However, the look Grover was giving him felt psychically painful. He was right, his best friend knew something...the question was, how much?

"And people say I'm a bad liar." the satyr spoke with a sigh.

"You are."

Grover thought it over for a few seconds before he nodded his head. "Yeah..I suppose you are right but just so you know, changing the subject won't make it easier for you, Perce. Talk with me man, keeping everything inside it's bad for your health, y'know? I mean, we are best friends, right? Plus, whatever has got you so conflicted and...sad, I'm sure it can't be that bad."

 _You have no idea buddy._ Percy thought, taking a peeble and throwing it across the lake.

Apparently, his best friend chose to take his silence as a sign of disaster because he jumped from the log they were sitting on as if the place was caught on fire.

"Oh man, Percy please tell me the world isn't ending again, is it?! Zeus knows I can't handle more prophecies."

Percy couldn't help but crack a smile. "No, the world isn't ending Grover and don't worry, I will manage."

 _I will just have to kill my feelings for Thalia._

Easier said than done, though as Percy was soon going to come to realize.

* * *

 _ **Tired;**_

Everything was tiring him out these days. He half wondered if he would be feeling like this if he were at camp and when the answer came as a clear ' _yes',_ he was left a bit terrified by that realization.

Once upon a time, he used to strongly believe that if there was a place in the world where he wouldn't be able to get bored, or tired — it'd be Camp Half Blood.

Now, _now_ he knew that no matter where he was, he would still be feeling like this, as if the weight of the world was still laying on his shoulders, ready to crush him if he let himself slouch.

Percy tried to remember the last time he had ever felt this _tired_ and when he checked his memories of the war, he found no evidence of feeling worse then than _now._

He supposes that maybe getting back to school was the catalyst but if he was able to endure the pain of bathing in the River Styx, school couldn't possibly be more horrible than the feeling of burning alive.

So firstly, he blamed school because honestly, which teenager didn't at least once in their lives?

He blamed Mr. D. Why? Percy didn't know. Habit maybe? After all, the wine god blamed demigods for existing because it gived Zeus the perfect punishment for him. It was natural. Mr. D blamed the demigods, demigods blamed Mr. D, whether the blame was justified or not.

He blamed Annabeth and he felt bad about it but only after they fought because during the fight the only thing he could focus on were the hurting insults that they were both hurling at each other. She had blamed Thalia for her relationship with him not being perfect. After that, he didn't bother to think through what he said and what he didn't. His ADHD was hard enough to control from acting out when he cared about it; when he didn't, he really did act like a Seaweed Brain. Not that Percy was ready to admit that out loud any time soon.

Then he blamed himself and when he started to blame himself — it usually started with one reason and ended with all the reasons that his guilt made sure to remind him of.

Percy grunted under his breath, pulling the hood of his jacket on. He thought that watching people skate on ice would lift up his spirits a bit.

It didn't work.

Standing up from the bench he had been sitting on, he was prepared to go home before he spotted a familiar black hair and punk styled clothing.

 _Thalia._

He was tempted to go over there but he crushed that thought, choosing to turn around instead.

Percy didn't trust himself anymore. Zeus knew what stupid things he'd say or do.

Which, in his opinion, was ridiculous. True, there were times when Thalia intimidated even him but he had never felt uncomfortable around her.

 _I shouldn't be feeling nervous._

His train of thoughts got broken by a loud voice, a voice he knew all too well.

"Hey Jackson! That's how you greet your friends?!"

He swore that every head turned in his direction after Thalia yelled at him and while he didn't like being in the centre of attention, he realized something.

 _That's right. We are friends and my feelings shouldn't change that. And besides, she had already noticed me...And made sure everybody knows I have no manners._

Percy turned around and walked until he was right besides the edge of the ice, the small 'wall' that only reached his stomach and Thalia's chest was the thing separating them.

"Sorry Thals, I think I mistook you for a pine tree for a second back there."

He was sure that he would have gotten an electric shock if the 'wall' didn't exist.

"You saw me Kelp for Brains so don't bother."

She was right, as most of the time.

How could he have not seen her? Of course he had and now he was taking his time looking at her from up close.

It wasn't admiration or the kind of look love struck people gived. In all honesty, Percy was watching her as he always did. Curious and confused.

She looked so out of place.

 _Like a black swan surrounded by white._

It was astounding how his ADHD made it impossible for him to focus more than a few minutes and yet he could stare at Thalia for hours, lost in his interpretations and never get distracted.

The snowflakes in her dark hair looked like little pearls and her ever pale cheeks had a tint of red now because of the low temperature and her neck who should have been covered by a scarf...

When Thalia started to snap her fingers in front of his face, that's when he blinked and realized he didn't say anything to defend himself.

"I'm not avoiding you." he blurted out.

 _I should really start connecting my mouth with my brain more._

"Really? Because it seems to me that every time we are in the same place, you bolt in the opposite direction." Thalia accused, her eyes piercing him with a look, as if she wanted to cut him and see why he was avoidin...er, being busy.

"I don't bolt, Pinecone Face." he replied, pushing his hands inside his pockets.

Thalia was generous enough to grace him with her infamous eye roll.

"Fine, you _walk_ , whatever; same bullshit, different words. It's still called avoiding."

 _Her logic annoys the hell out of me sometimes._

"I've been tired lately..."

There, not a lie, but not the whole truth either.

"Of course. Go get some sleep then, Sea Weed." she snorted, turning her head away from him.

 _I wished it were that easy. It was the kind of tired that sleep could not fix._

 _But she wasn't supposed to know that._

"Wait, Thalia!" He yelled while she was putting distance between them.

"What, Percy?!" she yelled angrily turning to face him as she was now going backwards.

He forgot what he had wanted to say when he noticed what was about to happen. "The barrier! You will crush right into..."

 _Thunk._

"...it." Percy finished the sentence, running a hand across his face at the sight of Zeus's daughter down on the ice, rubbing her head.

Despite the fact that he knew Thalia was one of the tough ones, he still handed some bucks to the guy at the counter and rushed to her side.

He would have liked to tell that he hadn't fell on his butt while doing so but he had. Going on ice without wearing proper shoes wasn't one of his wisest decisions.

He frowned when he managed to end up besides her and spotted some blood running down her forehead.

"Shit Thals, I'm sorry. It was my fault for distracting you." Percy reached out for her hand, inspecting the injury with his eyes.

The daughter of Zeus shook her head but stopped and winced when she realized that wasn't a good idea. "You are damn right Jackson, it was _your_ fault." she snapped but accepted his hand, pulling herself on her feet and dusting the snow off her clothes.

"We should have a doctor look at your head." He suggested.

"Yeah...how about...no?" Thalia replied in a sarcastic manner, as she started to drag him away from the ice skating area.

He let her, careful not to fall himself.

"Fine, at least bandage it." there really was no point in arguing with the stubborn daughter of Zeus when she was like this. Irritated and determinated.

When Percy noticed her picking up a handfull of snow, he knew he should have kept his mouth shut.

"Mind telling me why you had yelled and thus provoked my fall earlier? It'd better be a good reason Jackson because there's plenty more from where that had come from."

He let out a heavy sigh. Pride was strong within both of them but exceptions were made, _sometimes._ Mostly by him.

"I...you were right. Saying I'm tired was merely an excuse. What really happened is that...me and Annabeth broke up."

 _Because it was never real on my part._ Was what he left unsaid.

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

To say that he expected a different reaction would be a lie. Sure, guys had bro codes and they could insult and fight like dogs and still call each other friends but girls...they had a protective instinct when it came to 'break-ups.' It probably didn't help his case that Thalia loved Annabeth to death.

"See why I was avoiding you, Pinecone Face? I don't need a lecture."

"Why?"

Percy watched Thalia pinch the bridge of her nose and he arched an eyebrow, confused himself.

"Why what? Why don't I need a lecture? Because..."

"Argh! Not that, dumbass. I meant, why did you break up?"

He should have also seen that kind of question coming. It wasn't something that only a genius could have overseen. It was logical.

But again, half of the time he wasn't in control of what he said and there was the fact that greek gods were real and he was the son of one so logic as well as common sense didn't exactly apply to him.

Percy didn't know what to tell her. He didn't want to have this conversation, not now and most probably not any time soon. "Couples break up all the time, Thalia. Anyway, don't talk with Annabeth just yet."

Zeus knew what disaster would follow. Athena's daughter strongly blamed her for their issues and while one part of him could admit that if Thalia hadn't existed, he might have loved Annabeth the way she wanted him to...Percy refused to drop the blame on her shoulders.

It was his fault, if anything else. He should have been direct with Annabeth from the very beginning and tell her that the feelings weren't mutual. But he hoped that maybe, just maybe what he felt for Thalia will disappear.

 _It didn't. If anything, it only grew in size and intensity._

"She is like a sister to me. Of course I want to talk to her!" she declared, taking out her phone from her jeans's pocket.

Before she could text or dial her number, he snatched it away from her. "I meant it. Don't. Just...trust me on this one. She is angry right now and she will say stuff that might damage your friendship. Give her some time, Thalia. Please."

No, he wasn't only saying that for his sake and his alone. He was saying it for both girls because as bad as they had fought, Percy refused to believe that Annabeth will let him, proclaimed Seaweed Brain to ruin the friendship that she had with Thalia.

 _Annabeth is smarter than that._

The daughter of Zeus watched him for a few seconds in silence before she took her phone back and placed it where it was earlier. "Fine. But you owe me." she decided, leaving no room for 'no'.

"Anything. As long as it doesn't involve rock music."

Thalia threw him a look, judging his taste before mumbling something that sounded similar with: 'kelp for brains...lost cause...music is crap these days...'

"I'm hungry. Your treat." she said after she finished mumbling and leading the way to a taco restaurant.

Percy didn't realize that he was hungry until the smell of food hit his nostrlis.

They might be opposites in every possible way but when it came to food, they had the same passions.

However, what made that evening great was not the food. But Thalia. She was his battery charger.

Because Percy could never stay tired around her.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm sorry for the late update and I hope you will enjoy this chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Secrets**_

"No."

"Come on Thals, you know you want to."

"What part of 'no' don't you get?"

"I don't understand why you are so against spending Christmas with us."

 _Ugh, he just can't leave me be, can he?_

"I see enough of your face during summer, kelp for brains." she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

Percy rose one of his eyebrows, watching her intently, mirth dancing in those sea green eyes of his that infuriated her and fascinated her all at once. "That's not how I remember things. A few days ago, you seemed pretty upset that I was avoiding you."

Thalia, not one to let an opening pass her by, was quick to exclaim. "Ha! So, you admit you were being dumb, avoiding me."

"That's not the point pinecone face." he sighed, running a hand over his face in frustration.

"Then what is?" The daughter of Zeus challenged, provoking him.

 _Not one of my brightest ideas._

It had never really struck her just how tall Percy had gotten over the years, until now, that is. It was a stark difference from the short, skinny, weird, 13-year-old boy she met after no longer being tied to a tree.

But he was still himself, thus she rose her chin up in a defiant manner because she was who she was and no height difference or flashy eye colour could strip her off the very thing that made her Thalia Grace:

 _Confidence._

"From where I'm standing, it looks like you are the one who's avoiding me now." he paused, unfazed by the infamous glare she sent him, not willing to allow her enough time to protest. "I can't think of any other reason why you wouldn't come. Mom likes you, you know that and you told me you are cool with Tyson and Paul is an okay guy."

He didn't understand and she'd be one big hypocrite if she blamed him for that. It wasn't like she had ever shouted from the rooftops what her mother had been like. Or how she had run away from home after Jason got lost. How she couldn't even remember what celebrating Christmas with family felt like.

Sure, she had her father but Zeus was, more often than not, busy with his head in the clouds, pun very much intended and the last thing she wanted was to think about Hera and her half siblings ever being a decent option. Any kind of option, period.

 _Besides, Greek gods don't have anything to do with Christmas. Opposite cultures, religions but same dire need of worshippers._

 _Only Jesus isn't described as an egotistical nutcase._

"Thalia?"

Percy's concerned voice made her snap back to reality. She realized with a sudden jolt that she had been stuck in her own little world, lost in her thoughts and that he must have waited for an answer from her for quite some time now. The brunette inwardly cursed her ADHD.

"I'm fine, just...can you drop this?"

"But..."

She gave him a pleading look and such a rare occurrence was that, enough to make the son of Poseidon instantly quiet. "I will think about it." she finally answered, against her better judgement though.

When he grinned down at her, Thalia had two powerful urges.

"Ow, why did you hit me?!"

It was obvious which one she went for.

"Do I need a reason to?" she questioned rhetorically.

Percy rubbed at his numb arm, glaring down at it because Thalia's punches always came with electricity shocks. "Well _normal_ people do. I forgot you are pinecone face."

"Kelp for brains, you suck at coming up with insults." she stated matter of factly.

"You are lucky the fountain we are passing by is frozen this time of the year." he retorted with a scowl as they walked side by side on the streets of a very white and glittery Manhattan.

She would never admit it out loud, but the colourful lights, the fake Santas entertaining the little kids, the smell of cinnamon and oranges were all managing to stir up old dusty sensations within her that she hadn't felt in a long time.

The walk to her neighbourhood seemed to have lasted an eternity until they finally came to a stop. Percy had been adamant to pick her up from the girls' school Zeus enrolled her at and walk her home since winter break had just started. He didn't ask her, just went ahead and did it.

She refused to think about how warm that gesture made her feel on the inside.

"Thanks for walking me home Jackson."

"Don't mention it." he replied, the warmth of his breath obvious compared to the cold temperature in the air. Thalia took in the sight of his brown hair falling over his forehead, the red tint to his cheeks, his well-defined jawline.

The only thing her mind could process was just how hot he had gotten.

Noticing her hesitating and lingering outside, Percy, not for the first time that day, strongly believed there was something wrong with the daughter of Zeus. He had never seen Thalia behave as...airheaded before, no pun intended. She seemed constantly confused and unsure about what she was doing which was so unlike her that he felt like giving her several occasions to laugh at his expense if only that would be enough to bring back her usual self.

It frustrated him that she didn't trust him enough to say what was bothering her. If he pushed, she'd take two steps backwards and that was the last thing he wanted, to drive her away.

So, there they stood, looking at each other in utter silence.

"I should probably..."

"Do you want to come inside?" the words were out of her mouth before she could have stopped them. Thankfully, they came out casual enough.

If Percy was surprised, he did a very good job at not showing it, shrugging his shoulders. "Sure." he replied, following her in.

Her apartment wasn't big or luxurious since she had refused all the money Zeus sent her through Hermes but it had one bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom. It didn't strike any resemblance to the house she grew-up in and that's what mattered. Her land lady was difficult but nothing she couldn't handle. As long as she managed to pay the rent in time, all was good.

Thalia went ahead inside the kitchen, preparing two mugs of hot cocoa. It wouldn't be the first thing she and Percy had in common. They both liked it in the same way, with lots of sugar and whipped cream.

"How about we make a deal?" she questioned, licking her spoon clean.

"About?"

"You tell me why you and Annie broke-up, especially since things between the two of you don't seem to be getting any better and I will tell you why I refuse to celebrate Christmas."

In her humble opinion, it was only fair to trade one secret for another.

"You are beginning to sound like Hermes, Thals." Percy commented, half amused and half hesitant.

He was having a dilemma. On one hand, he wanted to know what she was hiding. On the other hand, the price of knowing was too big. What would he tell her anyways? _"Annabeth and I broke up because of you"?_ How would he explain that without revealing he felt something beyond friendship for her?

 _"It's about time you started confessing, Percy."_

Aphrodite's voice echoed inside his mind, like velvet. Persuasive. He wondered if she could charm speak from a distance.

 _"Oh, I definitely can sweetie but where would the fun in that be? I'd rather you do it out of your own free will. Much sincerer than me messing with your head."_

He sighed, which didn't go unnoticed by the dark-haired girl standing across from him.

"Earth to Jackson." she called, snapping her fingers in front of his face, a frown creasing her forehead. "What's wrong? Sorry if I brought back some unpleasant memories..."

Thalia looked so genuinely guilty, enough that it pulled at his heart strings a bit.

"Don't worry about it." he was quick to assure her, taking a sip from his cocoa.

 _Well, here goes nothing._

"I agree, to the deal." 


	6. Chapter 6

_**Bond**_

Demigods, by nature, were impatient people. They had to be. After all, it was exactly that fierce desire for speed, action, that saved them at the end of the day. Unfortunately, it was also the reason why trouble seemed to follow them most of the time.

Thalia was trying to be patient but minutes were passing by and Percy looked like he wanted to do anything but talk to her.

"Well...aren't you going to say something?"

He shook his head. "Nah, you should go first."

"Percy, seriously. Talk. Get it off your chest."

He shook his head, making his already messy hair messier than it was. "What you have to say matters more."

She didn't know whether to feel flattered or annoyed, but she figured one of them had to break the ice at some point. Looking down into her cup, she sighed. "My mother was an actress. She was beautiful and she was admired by many. Zeus liked her and well, that's how Jason and I came to be." she paused, in case he had questions but to her surprise, the son of Poseidon stood quiet, listening and drinking his hot cocoa, as if doing anything more would change her mind about telling him.

She cleared her throat. "For a few years, things were good. At some point though, Zeus started visiting less and less. Then she lost her job. I don't know why or how although I can vaguely remember eavesdropping onto a phone call she had with her boss and there was arguing and lots of yelling involved."

Thalia stopped again, her electric blue eyes, now resembling a storm were focused on a spot behind him, as if she was reliving everything for a second time. "She easily fell into depression afterwards. Things got bad the moment she started drinking and taking drugs. She let them all over the place and I'd have to clean since my brother was very little, and he could have taken some by mistake." This time, Thalia's gaze flickered over to Percy, to gauge his reaction.

She didn't find pity, but plenty of anger and sadness. He reminded her of how Luke had reacted after she told him. Thalia shook the thought away knowing there was no point in comparing the two. She kept going, throat tight, stomach turning upside down with dread as it always did whenever she thought of what happened back then.

"Sometimes she had small moments of guilt, usually when she was sober, so she'd try to reach out to me and Jason, tuck us into bed, cook our favorite meals and such stuff parents did for their children. One day, she suggested we organize a picnic in the backyard since it was huge because you know she used to be successful once and Zeus was adamant only the best was given to his family." her tone got slightly mocking, and she rolled her eyes in hopes tears wouldn't succeed to gather. In fact, she was doing it often now, enough to make Percy give her a worried look.

"She got drunk, again so naturally I was supposed to take care of my brother. I never minded since I loved him a great deal, and he was the only sane family member I had left." The pain and the guilt were strong, piercing her heart mercilessly but Thalia knew she had to finish, get it off her chest even. "I went back inside the house just for a moment Percy and when I returned, Jason was gone. I never found out what happened but I knew she had something to do with it, so I denounced her to the police but with no evidence to prove it, she was left free."

"Afterwards you ran away from home..." he trailed off, understanding in his voice.

She nodded. "We argued and I couldn't bear it to stay around her for much longer, not after what she did. I was able to handle the fact that she destroyed herself and destroyed my chances at having a normal childhood, but she had no right to do that to Jason." angry tears were rolling down her cheeks by now but weirdly enough, she wasn't feeling the need to hide them anymore, not in front of Percy. "That's why I don't celebrate Christmas. Now you know."

He felt like shit, for bringing up such a sore subject, for making Thalia, the least person he wanted to hurt, cry. He wasn't the reason behind her tear-smudged eyeliner, he knew but he was the one to remind her of what happened that day, to her brother.

" _Gods_ , and I thought I used to have it bad." he murmured under his breath. Compared to Beryl Grace, Smelly Gabe seemed easy to deal with now. Pushing his guilt aside for opening that kind of discussion, he looked up from the floor, placing his mug on the kitchen table before going over to face the daughter of Zeus. He had to be there for his best friend.

"Look at me." he demanded, watching as she buried her face in her hands. Percy had always seen Thalia as somebody invincible, incapable of getting emotionally hurt or defeated. Her fierce electric blue eyes were always daring the world to come at her with everything it has got, giving off an air of unrivaled confidence, never walking with anything but sure steps, ready to meet life head-on.

Stubborn to a fault and brave to the point she even lost her life once, Percy greatly admired her. She was, without doubt, the strongest person he knew.

"Jason disappearing wasn't your fault. He wasn't your responsibility, not when you were also very young and yet, you still took it upon yourself to take care of him because that's what you do, Thalia. You love people so much that you'd do anything to protect them, no matter how bad your odds at succeeding are. I honestly don't think I could have handled that kind of situation as well as you did." he paused, gently prying her hands off her face.

His position was weird since she was sitting, and he was on the floor, kneeling in front of her but Percy refused to dwell on that for the time being. "Actually, _I know_ I wouldn't have had." he gently wiped a tear away from her cheek with his thumb. "And I'm sorry for pressuring you."

At that moment, Thalia considered herself to be the luckiest girl in the world. For all his flaws, Percy was great at comforting people and there was just something about his sea-green eyes and their depths that screamed 'I will be there for you'. He never failed to go ahead and prove it either.

He wasn't pitying her because he knew just how much she hated that, mainly because they were alike in that aspect, but he wasn't indifferent to her anguish either. It was some sort of middle ground that worked for them.

"Don't feel bad. I'm glad I told you Percy and..." she paused, as if suddenly realizing something. She narrowed her eyes, feeling amused. "You are not planning to propose, are you?"

Feeling his cheeks drastically change color, he was up in an instant, adverting his eyes and hoping against hope Thalia wasn't going to remind him of it any chance she got. "I am sincerely sorry for the one who gets to marry you pinecone face."

He earned an electrified punch for that but watching her now, the grief in her eyes subdued and a smile on her face, Percy doesn't mind.

"I was just teasing you, gods! But all things considered, that would have been the perfect moment for such a thing."

The look he gave her made Thalia feel as if she had grown two heads overnight. "You never struck me as the girly type."

She scoffed. "Don't expect to see such a slip up anytime soon Jackson."

He smirked in response. "Wouldn't dream of it, Thals."

A moment of silence passed between the two of them, like an unspoken agreement. She was the one to break it after going to the bathroom to clean off her ruined makeup and re-do it.

"Don't think I forgot about our deal."

Percy rolled his eyes, touching Riptide inside the pocket of his pants. The action always calmed him slightly. It was a reminder that if he won against death so many times, anything else should be easy.

Suffice to say, it wasn't. Better said, he was brave in front of monsters, titans and gods but a coward in front of Thalia looking at him expectantly with those blue eyes... He shook his head, finding a nice, interesting spot to look at on the fridge.

"We fought."

"I thought we established that already."

Percy glared at the fridge. "She was being unreasonable. I know calling Annabeth that is strange, but she started the argument. I never thought her to be a jealous person and I never gave her reasons to be but apparently, spending time with and caring for a friend is wrong in her books."

Thalia hummed, deep in thought, then she asked. "How close are you with this friend?"

He didn't hesitate to answer. "Very close."

"Closer than with Annabeth?"

"I...are you asking me if I cheated too?"

Thalia jumped as if burned, shaking her head. "Zeus, no! I just...Percy, your fatal flaw is loyalty. Even thinking that you could ever cheat is ridiculous."

"My point exactly." he mumbled, a little more relaxed now that he knew she didn't think him capable of doing that.

 _I jumped too quickly to conclusions._

"What I was trying to say..." she began before her eyes hardened, then she blew a sigh, deciding to be blunt and just go ahead to ask what she wished to know. "Percy, do you like someone else?" then she went ahead to explain her reasoning. "You don't have to cheat to feel that and girls, especially ones as perceptive as Annabeth tend to notice these things."

"What?"

"I said..."

"I heard you."

Thalia arched a brow, feeling curious, hopeful and distressed? No, that couldn't be right. "Well?"

Before he could have opened his mouth to answer, a loud exclamation butted in:

"HEY BIG BROTHER, HEY DAUGHTER OF ZEUS!"

They looked at the image of a familiar cyclop Iris messaging them.

Percy and Thalia blew a sigh.

 _Tyson._

* * *

 **A/N: Wow, you guys can't imagine just how initially scared I was of writing this chapter and screwing up. Percy and Thalia are both complex characters, and my favorites. Both individually AND together so my struggle is, maybe, a little justifiable? I wanted to get both of them right. So that explains while I've stayed out of their heads for the most part and focused on dialogue instead which is a first since most of the time the latter is something I'm not very good at. Anyway, I will stop rambling now.**

 **XFWY: To be honest, your review is the reason I decided to write again for this story so this chapter is dedicated to you! When I read what you wrote, it filled me with a sense of duty and made me think: "I have to continue this story, for Perlia and all its shippers!". I sincerely thank you for the compliments! I'm glad you liked it so far and I hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much! *fingers crossed***

 **Until next time guys!**


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